The invention relates to a method for the remote control of a function of a vehicle, wherein a signal generated by the vehicle is recorded by means of a signal receiving unit which is integrated in the mobile control unit.
The invention furthermore relates to a device for the remote control of a function of a vehicle, wherein a mobile control unit includes an integrated signal receiving unit to record the signal of the vehicle.
A method and a system for the control, monitoring and configuration of a network-compatible arrangement formed as a motor vehicle having at least one functional element are known from DE 10 2012 001 583 A1, the functional element having at least two function states. The method is carried out by means of a control device which is mobile, network-compatible and formed as a mobile telephone, wherein the control unit has a display and a camera. As such, the arrangement and the control device form a network connection and the control device takes a camera image of the at least one functional element by means of the camera. Furthermore, the functional element is detected and at least one selection from the at least two function states of the functional element is established, wherein the display of the control device shows the camera image which was taken and additionally at least the selection from the at least two function states of the functional element is determined, such that an operator of the control device can select at least one function state of the functional element. The function state selected by the operator is transmitted by the control device via the network to the arrangement and the functional element is brought into the function state selected by the operator. Furthermore, DE 10 2012 001 583 A1 describes a computer program product for carrying out the method.
The object of the invention is to specify an improved method compared to the prior art and an improved device for the remote control of a function of a vehicle.
In a method for the remote control of a function of a vehicle, signals of the vehicle are recorded by means of a signal receiving unit integrated in the control unit. According to the invention, a visual or audible signal is generated at a predetermined position on the vehicle, wherein remote control is only enabled if the visual or audible signal is recorded by the signal receiving unit. The signal receiving unit can be a camera or microphone integrated in the mobile control unit. In a particularly advantageous manner, the method according to the invention only enables remote control to take place if the mobile control unit, i.e., in particular the camera thereof, is focused on the vehicle. The mobile control unit can therefore be used in a particularly advantageous manner as a so-called dead man's switch, wherein, due to the camera being focused on the vehicle, the user's view is focused on this. In a particularly advantageous manner, the method according to the invention therefore also enables the execution of autonomous driving processes, for example autonomous parking processes, of the vehicle, which are automatically interrupted in the case of the user turning their eyes away from the vehicle and consequential changes to the focus of the camera on positions deviating from the vehicle.
In one possible development of the method, coded information is emitted by means of the visual or audible signal. This emission means that the visual or audible signals can only be detected by an authorized mobile control unit.
According to one embodiment, the coded information is recorded by means of the signal receiving unit and processed by means of the mobile control unit and enhanced by a key code to an authorization signal, wherein the authorization signal is transmitted to the vehicle via a data connection established between the mobile control unit and the vehicle. It can thereby be detected by the vehicle that the relevant mobile control unit has an authorization for the remote control of the function.
According to a further embodiment, remote control is only enabled if the authorization signal is recorded by the vehicle and is recognized as being valid. It is therefore impossible for remote control to be carried out by means of a mobile control unit which does not have valid authorization.
Alternatively, remote control is enabled for a predetermined period after recording an authorization signal which is detected and recorded by the vehicle as being valid. Since approval is limited in time and authorization must be renewed at intervals by the relevant mobile control unit, the danger of authorization remote control, for example by so-called hackers, is reduced.
In one possible development, the images of the vehicle recorded by means of the camera are displayed by means of a visual display unit which is integrated in the mobile control unit. The user is therefore able to have the vehicle in sight and direct the camera, as required, towards the vehicle at the same time in a simple manner.
According to one embodiment, the visual signal is emitted as a light signal by means of at least one light unit of the vehicle. The light signal is, for example, a light signal in the range which is visible to the human eye. In an advantageous manner, light units already located on the vehicle, for example headlights, rear lights, direction indicators and/or marking lights, can therefore be used for the generation of the light signal, such that material costs to execute the method are minimized. Alternatively, the light signal can also be a signal in the range which is not visible to the human eye.
The device for the remote control of a function of a vehicle includes a mobile control unit which includes an integrated signal receiving unit for the recording of signals of the vehicle. According to the invention, a signal generation unit for the generation of a signal is arranged at at least one predetermined position on the vehicle and the vehicle includes a function unit for the control of a function, wherein the function unit is formed in such a way that remote control is only enabled in the case of the signal being recorded by means of the signal receiving unit. In a particularly advantageous manner, the device according to the invention also only enables remote control to take place if the mobile control unit, i.e., in particular the camera thereof, is focused on the vehicle. The mobile control unit thereby forms a dead man's switch in the device in a particularly advantageous manner, wherein, due to the camera being focused on the vehicle, the user's view is focused on this. As a result, autonomous driving processes, for example autonomous parking processes, of the vehicle can be carried out by means of the device, the driving processes being able to be automatically interrupted in the case of the user turning their eyes away from the vehicle and consequential changes to the focus of the camera on positions deviating from the vehicle.
In one possible embodiment of the device, a data connection is formed between the mobile control unit and the vehicle for the transmission of an authorization signal from the mobile control unit to the function unit. The authorization signal can be transmitted via this data connection in a simple, secure and fast manner.
In a further possible embodiment, the mobile control unit is a mobile telephone. Since conventional mobile telephones already have at least one camera or microphone and means to establish a suitable data connection, the use of mobile telephones as mobile control units further reduces the costs and material requirements. The only requirement for data processing is an application program, which, for example, can be transmitted in the form of a so-called app to the mobile telephone. Furthermore, the use of mobile telephones as mobile control units, due to the fact that these are carried around by people in most cases anyway, is characterized in that the user does not have to carry around an additional device for the remote control of the function.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in greater detail below by means of drawings.